Stress is the word I have heard most often over the last year. No doubt 2020 was stressful for individuals, families, and businesses. There have been numerous stressors impacting the mind, body, and emotions. As you look back over the last year, what comes to your mind? Do you agree that it was a stressful year?

What is your view on stress?

Does stress have a negative or positive connotation for you?

Is the thought of a stressful encounter met with dread or excitement?

Do you feel overwhelmed or energized?

Your view of stress, and your consistent thoughts surrounding stress, determine your mental well-being. Your mental health impacts your emotional and physical health. If your views and thoughts about stressful situations and experiences is focused on conquering a challenge, then you will conquer it quickly and grow to new heights.

The problem you may face, however, is that your views and thoughts about stress seem overwhelming and are perceived as a threat. If this is your thought pattern, then you will likely carry that with you causing it to bleed over into other areas of your life. This bleed over can cause a ripple effect of compacted mental, emotional and physical stress. The compacted stress mentally, emotionally, and physically will eventually lead to a breaksdown of health.

If your view on stress has been negative, no need to worry because I bring good news!

Even if you find yourself in this negative thought pattern about stress, you get to choose how you view that experience. You are in control of your thoughts. You have opportunities several times a day to choose positive, life-giving thoughts when facing stressful situations. You get to determine if the stressors you're facing are a threat or simply a challenge to overcome. You get to choose whether the stress is overwhelming or an opportunity. So the next time you're faced with a stressor, choose wisely, because your mental and physical health depend on it.

For a more in-depth look at how your view of stress impacts your health, check out Convos with Crystal podcast released February 8, 2021.